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Procedia (2011) - Psychological Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's Movies

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Abstract

Alfred Hitchcock is a British film director famed for being the master of suspense and presentiment. In this study, suspense and presentiment are psychologically investigated by analytical and descriptive methods. We show that Hitchcock creates suspense, and increases presentiment in his audiences’ feelings using filmic elements of motion such as filming, structural motions, rhythm, and film elements. The point is that the most of items in Hitchcock’s movies are adapted to the arousal in psychology. The Frytag Pyramid structure of Hitchcock’s movies are conformed to the inverse U function which is used to explain the relation between arousal and behavioral capability. Hitchcock provides a simulated situation on the foundation of meticulous arousal for his audiences. In this research, we further indicate that Hitchcock uses provocation and anxiety to excite the audiences. Finally, arousal causes attention and concentration in film. This way, Hitchcock dominates the human psyche, and imparts his message to them. Whatever the message is, it goes through the people’s unconscious via identification.